A day after several farmers and policemen were injured during a clash in Karnal, Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on Sunday said he was “pained” at the turn of events, but condemned the farmers for attacking policemen with spades.
He also questioned the Samyukt Kisan Morcha leadership for making Haryana the “epicentre of the movement” against the three contentious farm laws.
Also read | Haryana CM defends police action in Karnal
Mr. Chautala, at a press conference in Chandigarh, said the Morcha leaders, mostly hailing from Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, were causing turmoil in Haryana to disturb the peace in the State and derail its agrarian economy. “The SKM leadership should explain why there were no roadblocks in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh after the incident yesterday (Saturday). The 40 top leaders of SKM are mostly from Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, but why is Haryana being made the epicentre? Haryana and its people are suffering, but the political parties in the poll-bound States will benefit,” Mr. Chautala said.
He promised action against a Sub-Divisional Officer who was caught on camera asking police personnel to “break the heads” of farmers.
“The video of a 2018-batch IAS officer has gone viral. Later there was a clarification that he had not slept for two days, but he probably doesn’t know that farmers too remain awake for 200 days in a year. What he said is condemnable and action will be taken for sure,” Mr. Chautala said.
He questioned the objective behind the agitation when new mandis (markets) were being opened in the State, the crop was being procured at the minimum support price and the money was being transferred directly to the bank accounts of the farmers. “We have repeatedly said that mandis and MSP are going to stay,” Mr. Chautala said.
Replying to question on the clash, Mr. Chautala said, “You cannot welcome someone with a garland, if they attack you with a spade.”
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had offered to suspend the three laws and even make amendments, but the Morcha leadership did not come forward for talks. Mr. Chautala said that dialogue was the only way forward and offered to mediate if the farmers wanted to talk with the government.
